Women’s Liberation Movement in Germany

The women’s liberation movement in Germany took off in the early 1970ies. The achievements of feminist pioneers were central to social progress. Which issues were important to those feminists? How do they shape our life and our society today? Here you will find answers: in-depht texts on the central debates that feminists brought into Germanys society as well as original text excerpts and a timeline on how it all started from 1971-1979.

In 1978 journalist Alice Schwarzer was the first voice to call for the full voluntary admission of women to combat roles because she rejected the biological dogma that underpinned the weapons ban. This was the beginning of a heated debate.

Self-determination and knowledge of one’s own body – women’s health initiatives were directed against a patronizing and patriarchal medicine that made the male body the point of reference while the female body was both medicalised and pathologised.